Consecrated Laywoman

[dominicansoul]

I'm considering consecrating myself to Jesus in a public way through the local Diocese. Thing is, I know nothing about the Consecrated Lay-life.

I know celibacy is a big part of it, but what more?

[Thomist-in-Training]

Well hermits can be diocesan, but probably that's not what you're wondering about.

[url="http://theblogginganchorite.blogspot.com/2008/06/diocesan-hermit.html"]http://theblogginganchorite.blogspot.com/2...san-hermit.html[/url]

Here is a page about Consecrated Virgins.

[url="http://www.consecratedvirgins.org/cv/becomingcv.html"]http://www.consecratedvirgins.org/cv/becomingcv.html[/url]

They don't have to wear anything that shows they are. However, there is a consecrated virgin who is about thirty, probably, in our area who dresses in a nun-like outfit (not that she appears to belong to any particular order) with a white veil, white dress and white poncho sweater. Sometimes she wears a sash in the liturgical color I've noticed. I think she visited some congregations of nuns and didn't find any she wanted to join but definitely felt a calling to live as a virgin. She has an oratory in her house with the Blessed Sacrament and teaches at Catholic schools in our area. She goes simply by her first name (except students call her "Miss Smith".) Her family lives in this area too and she's with them often and seems very much at peace.

[the lords sheep]

Check out this blog: [url="http://www.sponsa-christi.blogspot.com/"]Sponsa Christi[/url]

It's the story of the consecration of a young woman (I believe she's 23/24). She answers (well, I may add) many of the questions and misconceptions that people have about being a consecrated virgin.

God bless!

[CatherineM]

We have one here, and had one back home in Florida. The one back home was a nurse, and the one here teaches in the Sacred Scripture department at my seminary, and also works as a chaplain at the hospital.

[dominicansoul]

thanks y'all!

I'll check out the links, and continue to pray that I may walk where God leads me...

[FiereMargriet]

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' post='1854262' date='May 1 2009, 01:16 PM']However, there is a consecrated virgin who is about thirty, probably, in our area who dresses in a nun-like outfit (not that she appears to belong to any particular order) with a white veil, white dress and white poncho sweater.[/quote]

That's interesting. A while ago I posted on here describing a woman I saw in such a "habit" at my church. I saw her once more several weeks ago, with a woman who looked like her sister (family-sister, not convent-sister!). I wonder if this woman is a consecrated virgin. Then again, she could be a regular Sister I guess.

I've occasionally turned over the idea of becoming a consecrated laywoman in my mind. I feel such a kinship with the early female saints who, probably without much formal education and without a community, still joined and gave their lives for Christ's Church.

Edited May 3, 2009 by FiereMargriet

[dominicansoul]

[quote name='FiereMargriet' post='1856182' date='May 2 2009, 11:31 PM']I've occasionally turned over the idea of becoming a consecrated laywoman in my mind. I feel such a kinship with the early female saints who, probably without much formal education and without a community, still joined and gave their lives for Christ's Church.[/quote]


It's one of the oldest forms, actually, of women giving themselves to God and His Church...

St. Catherine of Sienna was not a Sister living in community, but was a consecrated lay person. Yet, she wore the habit of the Dominicans, because it was the Dominican spirituality she adopted.

In the years to come, the form of consecrated living she lived evolved into the active Sisterhood we see today...

But the consecrated lay life remains...

The Church! Ever Ancient and Ever New!

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1856478' date='May 3 2009, 08:06 PM']

It's one of the oldest forms, actually, of women giving themselves to God and His Church...

St. Catherine of Sienna was not a Sister living in community, but was a consecrated lay person. Yet, she wore the habit of the Dominicans, because it was the Dominican spirituality she adopted.

In the years to come, the form of consecrated living she lived evolved into the active Sisterhood we see today...

But the consecrated lay life remains...

The Church! Ever Ancient and Ever New! [/quote]

St. Catherine was a member of the Sisters of the Passion of St. Dominic, a group which also included married women. It's like a cross between what we now know as the Third Order Conventual (the "active" sisters) and the Lay Dominicans, which is why we keep having fights about whose protectress she is (kidding, she's there for all of us, of course [size=1]but a bit extra for the Sisters[/size]).

Apart from the life of the consecrated virgin you can also take private vows as a laywoman. A friend of mine is preparing for this. They are "private" in the sense that you are not canonically bound, most people in private vows are quite public about them

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1858196' date='May 5 2009, 02:59 AM']St. Catherine was a member of the Sisters of the Passion of St. Dominic, a group which also included married women. It's like a cross between what we now know as the Third Order Conventual (the "active" sisters) and the Lay Dominicans, which is why we keep having fights about whose protectress she is (kidding, she's there for all of us, of course [size=1]but a bit extra for the Sisters[/size]).

Apart from the life of the consecrated virgin you can also take private vows as a laywoman. A friend of mine is preparing for this. They are "private" in the sense that you are not canonically bound, most people in private vows are quite public about them [/quote]

Private vows too, that's right!

Waiiit a minute, I thought what she joined was more like this:

[quote]She was 16 or 17 when she joined the 'mantellate', a group of lay Dominican women, who lived in their own homes and dedicated their lives to prayer and charitable activity. Catherine spent her first three years as a 'mantellata' in a secluded life of prayer at home. After this period of solitude, Catherine dedicated herself to care for the poor and the sick...[/quote] [url="http://www.dominicansisters.com/content/view/37/64/lang,en/"]http://www.dominicansisters.com/content/view/37/64/lang,en/[/url]

From the biography I read a few years ago I remember they were all widows and in order for Catherine to join, who was quite young and pretty and not a widow, she had to get some kind of terrible illness that left her still young but not so pretty... (I think because they were afraid a woman who wasn't 50 but quite young could give in to passion and thus disgrace their order? Umm, forgive me if that's a fake memory.)

Ah--here's more:

[quote]Mantellate (the term is peculiar to Italy) were lay women who were members of the Order of Penance of St. Dominic – an organization that eventually developed into the present Third Order of St. Dominic. Women who wished to live a more religious life, but who for any reason were unable to enter a convent, could affiliate themselves with the Dominican Order by joining the Order of Penance. In so doing they continued to live at home, but they bound themselves to a more religious schedule of life, and at all times, both at home and abroad, they wore the Dominican religious habit. This consisted of a white tunic, with a leather belt, while over the head was worn a long, soft white veil in the shape of an oblong scarf. There was no scapular, but the members wore a black cloak or mantella, and it was this which gave rise to the popular name of these Sisters – Mantellate.
Up until Little Margaret’s [of Cortona's] time, only widows of a certain age were eligible to join the Mantellate, with here and there an exception being made for a mature married woman whose husband publicly gave his consent; but no young single women were allowed in.[/quote]
[url="http://v-forvictory.blogspot.com/2007/07/blessed-margaret-of-castello-part-v.html"]http://v-forvictory.blogspot.com/2007/07/b...llo-part-v.html[/url]

[dominicansoul]

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' post='1858423' date='May 5 2009, 11:03 AM']Private vows too, that's right!

Waiiit a minute, I thought what she joined was more like this:

[url="http://www.dominicansisters.com/content/view/37/64/lang,en/"]http://www.dominicansisters.com/content/view/37/64/lang,en/[/url]

From the biography I read a few years ago I remember they were all widows and in order for Catherine to join, who was quite young and pretty and not a widow, she had to get some kind of terrible illness that left her still young but not so pretty... (I think because they were afraid a woman who wasn't 50 but quite young could give in to passion and thus disgrace their order? Umm, forgive me if that's a fake memory.)

Ah--here's more:


[url="http://v-forvictory.blogspot.com/2007/07/blessed-margaret-of-castello-part-v.html"]http://v-forvictory.blogspot.com/2007/07/b...llo-part-v.html[/url][/quote]

I'd like to bring that kind of community back into existence in the Church! It sounds like the kind of community that many women would love to belong to! Many of my dear sisters-in-Christ who were in the convent with me, but for some reason or another, left, still feel the call to some type of consecration to God. A radical consecration, while still living in the world. When I think about it, that would be radical...because it sure is a whole lot tougher!

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1862163' date='May 9 2009, 04:44 AM']I'd like to bring that kind of community back into existence in the Church! It sounds like the kind of community that many women would love to belong to! Many of my dear sisters-in-Christ who were in the convent with me, but for some reason or another, left, still feel the call to some type of consecration to God. A radical consecration, while still living in the world. When I think about it, that would be radical...because it sure is a whole lot tougher![/quote]

I bet there are chapters of Dominican laity very happy to have you

While not all of them would have the means to live so radically, it would be very inspiring to have members doing that in the group - a bit like the Friars and active Sisters are supported and inspired by the contemplative sisters.